Anti-'Idol' fan

March 25, 2007

Why do so many people love "American Idol?" Millions of people watch the show every week and vote for their favorite singers. I've heard that more people participate in the "American Idol" elections than political elections. The show is in its sixth season and seems to be more popular than ever. There is even a video game of the show where you sing karaoke-style for the judges. I don't understand the obsession. I actually hate the show. I've tried to watch it, but I just can't get into it. I like reality shows. I watch several, including "Rock Star," where contestants compete to be the lead singer of a band. Maybe it's the music they choose for "American Idol" or the hosts of the show that I don't like. Whatever it is, I think I'd rather watch paint dry than sit through an entire episode. It seems like everywhere I go, I am attacked by "American Idol." The merchandise and the endless magazine articles really drive me crazy. Even news networks run stories about the show. There are scandals and drama, not to mention the hairstyles and clothing of the contestants. All of these stories become headlines on serious news channels. There has to be more important things going on in the world, but people want to know more about "American Idol." I decided to Google "American Idol," and I was shocked to discover more than 20 million results. Do we really need this many Web sites devoted to this show? There are personal pages by the fans, where they discuss their obsessions with the show. There are so many "official" sites for the show I can't even count them. There are merchandise sites and sites where you can see clips. There are even sites that give you a complete rundown of every season of the show. But of all the things that bother me about the show, the biggest one is that the network changes the TV lineup to accommodate the show. Other networks are afraid to run shows against it, and Fox, the network on which the show airs, stops showing regular shows to make room for "American Idol." I should confess here that I love watching "House," which usually airs Tuesday nights on Fox, but during "Idol" season, it's taken off the air. In addition to the new episodes of "Idol," fans can watch reruns several times a week on other networks. The show seems to be taking over. I'm not alone in my hatred for this show. There are more than 1 million Web sites dedicated to hating "American Idol." It seems like this show either makes people really angry or really happy. It is not often that a TV show can stir so much emotion in people - and maybe that is why it is so popular. Whether you like it or hate it, I think "American Idol" is going to stick around for awhile. By writing this column, I have given the show more publicity. Maybe the best way to get rid of the show is to just stop talking about it. - Michelle Sihrer, special to the American News, received a bachelor's degree in English from Northern State University. She currently lives in Aberdeen with her three cats.